Clothespin



p 11, 1951 A. M. UNTORIA G. 2,567,792

CLOTHESPIN Filed April 26, 1948 Anibal M. Un/ arib 6f INVENTOR,

Patented Sept. 11, 195i UNITED STATES PA-TENT, OFFICE 2,567,792. x Y .7 a

CLOTHESPIN Anibal M. Untoria G., Habana, Cuba Application April 26, 1948, Serial No. 23,320 g This invention relates to an improvement in Clothespins, particularly of the type adapted to suspend clothes on a line for drying.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a novel clothespin for supporting articles of clothing in a suspended position on a line, so that the clothing does not come in contact with the line and thus, obviate the possibility of the clothing becoming soiled by contact with a weather beaten line; to provide a clothespin, having complementary jaws, with means for limiting the open movement of the jaws; to provide a clothespin, having complementary pivoted levers, with means for moving the levers on a common pivot and on a bearing surface to obviate frictional wear.

Another principal object of this invention is to provide a clothespin, comprising a pair of pivoted levers, having opposed movable jaws on one side the pivot point and hand gripping bars on the opposite side of the pivot point, with means for easily and efliciently moving the jaws in spreading placement and for yieldingly biasing or urging the jaws in a clamping position.

A meritorious feature of this invention resides in the provision of a pair of levers, having offset jaw portions and offset hand holding portions, which complementarily coact to provide an efficient and durable clothespin, that may be easily and efficiently employed.

These and ancillary objects and other meritorious features are attained by this invention, a preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of this invention, showing the same in use for suspending an article of apparel from a clothesline;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of this invention;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 33 of Figure 2; and,

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of one of the levers.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout, and wherein a preferred embodiment of this invention is set forth, by way of example only, there is shown an improved clothespin, designated generally by the numeral I and comprising a pair of levers I2 and I4. The levers l2 and I4 are similarly formed for cooperative engagement and include a jaw portion I6 and a hand holding or gripping 1 Claim. (01. 24137) portion I8 formed integrally therewith. The hand gripping portion l8 terminates in a raised plane above the face 20 of the jaw I6 and is inclined downwardly and rearwardly as at 22 to terminate in a block end 24, in a similar horizontal plane as that of the face 20 of the jaw. A semi-circular recess 26 is disposed in the vertical face of the hand grip portion 22, adjacent the juncture of the jaw I6. Extending in an inclined plane from the lower terminating portion of the recess 26 is a transverse shoulder or bearing surface 28. A portion of the jaw I6 is laterally offset from the hand gripping portion I8 and, in association therewith, defines a vertical stop 30. The stop 30 is formed at the angular juncture between the hand gripping portion l8 and the offset jaw. A concave transverse recess 32 is formed in the face of the jaw and in complementary engagement defines a transverse line engaging groove 34. The levers I2 and I4 are secured together by a coil spring 36, received in a semi-circular recess 26 and serving as a pivot element therefor. The levers I2 and I4 are of integral construction, with the jaw portions I6 in opposed clamping relation and the hand gripping portions I8 in normally oppositely diverging relation. Spring receiving notches 38 are formed on the outer surfaces of the jaws I6 and are adapted to receive extending arms 40 of the coil spring 36, whereby the jaws are yieldingly retained under tension and biased relative clamping coaction.

The extending face 42 of the hand gripping portion l8, above the substantially semi-circular recess 26, is adapted to abut the vertical stop or end 30 which forms one end of the offset portion extending from the jaw. The complementary engagement between the face 42 and the stop 30 serves to limit the opening movement of the aws.

Thus, with reference to Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, it can be seen that when a pinching pressure is applied to the hand gripping portions l8 of the levers I2 and M, the levers pivot on the coil spring 36, which constitutes the pivotal axis, and the respective jaws are moved out of clamping engagement with the article 44 and the line 46. Movement of the hand gripping portions inwardly and opening movement of the jaws are limited by the abutment of the offset end 30 of the jaw with the face 42 of the hand gripping portion. Also, it is to be noted that the pivoting of the levers is accomplished by movement on the pivotal axis extending through the aligned recesses, the bearing surfaces or shoulders 28 bearing against the spring, thereby substantially eliminating friction between the levers.

However, since many other purposes and objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art, upon a perusal of the foregoing description, in view of the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that certain changes, not amounting to invention, may be effected thereon, as coming :within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A clothespin comprising first and second gripping members having forward end portions and inner faces, resilient means joining said members and yieldingly urging the forward end portions of said members together and constituting the sole means joining the members, a first jaw on the forward .end portionof-said first memberand having a rear bearing edge, .asecond jaw on the forward end portion of .saidsecond member and having a rear bearing edge, a first abutment surface on said first member, a secondabutment surface on said second member, stop faces on said first and second members in spaced opposing relation to said abutment surfaces on said second and first members, respectively, when said jaws are in abutting relation to each other, and said stop faces being in abutting relation to said abutment surfaces to limit the relative movement between the members, said first and second members each having a substantially semicylindrical recess formed therein at central portion thereof and in opposing relation to each other, said semi-cylindrical recesses and bearing edges providing a bearing bore, said resilient means includinga coiled spring disposed in said bearing bore and having end arms engaging said jaws for urging them together.

ANIBAL M. UNTORIA G.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name :Date

69,977 Fellows Oct. 22, .1867 365,755 Moore June 28, 1897 900,034 Newton Sept. 29, 1908 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 44,272 Denmark June 29, 1931 

